A Heartbeat Away: What You Don’t Know About America’s Vice Presidents

Did you know that there was no official line of succession to the presidency until 1967? Or that John Tyler served a mere 32 days as Vice President before becoming President? Or that Richard Nixon nearly lost his VP spot on the 1952 GOP ticket because of a potential scandal.

In the spirit of tonight’s vice presidential debate—Representative Paul Ryan and Vice President Joe Biden will be in Dansville, Kentucky to duke it out over the policies of their running mates—we found 13 things most people don’t know about the exclusive position of Vice President. Click through our slideshow to learn more, and impress your friends at tonight’s viewing party.